Spirit and Flesh

This week, the Gospel concentrates on John chapter 6, the feeding of 5 thousand, and the events surrounding this wondrous miracle. As John notes, Jesus compassion led him to supply the crowd with food. After the event, after crossing over the Sea of Galilee, the crowd comes to Jesus the very next day, wonders how he crossed the lake without a boat, and then asks him to give them a sign to prove he is from God. Pretty bold considering they just witnessed the feeding of five thousand.

The disciples are caught in the midst of this story. They assist in feeding the five thousand, gather up the fragments, and then, upon Jesus bid, launch their boat into the sea. But as scripture tells us, as they were struggling with the stormy sea when Jesus came to them walking upon water.

In Matthew chapter 14, Peter cries out, "Lord if it is you, bid me come." Jesus calls, "Come" and he does , and walking upon water. It is only when he looks down and realizes what he is doing that he sinks and begins to drown.

The crowd asked Jesus for a sign. Jesus replies by requesting faith. He shows us what faith can do - balance our life between what is natural and earthy, and what is spiritual. When Jesus walks upon water, he is neither in heaven, nor on the earth. He is in the balance between the two. Peter too, when girt about with faith, can walk on water. But without that balance, he falls.

The spiritual life is not devoid of earthly existence. It is bouyed up by it. We too can "walk on water" when that balance is present in our lives.